Cessna 172 accident near Chapel Hill, North Carolina, October 1, 1985
On October 1, 1985 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N2765U, was destroyed in an accident near Chapel Hill, North Carolina (Hogan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1985 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Chapel Hill, North Carolina · Hogan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N2765U · registry record · serial 17250365
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N2765U CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER MAKING A LOW PASS OVER A PRIVATE AIR STRIP NEAR CHAPEL HILL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE PRIOR TO IMPACTING A TREE ABOUT 40 ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT ALSO COLLIDED WITH A POWER TRANSMISSION LINE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AND BURNED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY SYSTEM MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,703 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 1985; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from RDU, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.